Electrical controls for a multiple couple printing press



Sept. 16, 1969 R. H. mm ET AL 3, 6 07 ELECTRICAL CONTROLS FOR A MULTIPLE COUPLE PRINTING PRESS Filed March 22, 1966 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 FKS. 5

FIG.1

m n m) INVENTORS i ROGER H. STOTZER W/LL/AM H. LEE BY JACK E. VANDEMA/V Sept. 16, 1969 R. H. STOTZER ET AL 3,457,007

ELECTRICAL CONTROLS FOR A MULTIPLE COUPLE PRINTING PRESS 7 Shee t UN/TB T0 GA TE! 5020-50 IMP/PESS/ON FKSA AYTTORNE'YS Sept. 16, 1969 R. H. STOTZER ET AL 3,467,007

ELECTRICAL CONTROLS FOR A MULTIPLE COUPLE PRINTING PRESS 7 Sheets-Sheet 4. DD A Filed March 22, 1966 w umr ON R0 ER Z5? 6 h. 7'07 AND E 46/ pV/LL/AM H. LEE

JACK E. VANDEMA/V BY ATTO NEY8 Se t. 16, 1969 R. H. STOTZER ET AL 3,467,007

ELECTRICAL CONTROLS FOR A MULTIPLE COUPLE PRINTING PRESS Filed March 22, 1966 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 caL WILL/AM H. LEE JACK E. VANDEMAN A TTORNEYS Sept. 16, 1969 R. H. STOTZER ET AL 3,467,007

ELECTRICAL CONTROLS FOR A MULTIPLE COUPLE PRINTING PRESS Filed March 22, 1966 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 IN VENTORS ROGER H. STOTZER WILLIAM H. LEE JACK E. VANDEMAN Mam ATTORNEY-5' United States Patent 3,467,007 ELECTRICAL CONTROLS FOR A MULTIPLE COUPLE PRINTING PRESS Roger H. Stofzer, Par-ma, William H. Lee, Lakewood,

and Jack E. Vandeman, Berea, Ohio, assignors to Harris-Intertype Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 22, 1966, Ser. No. 536,433 Int. Cl. B41f 5/16, 13/24 US. Cl. 101-137 28 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In a multiunit printing press in which counting circuits, one for counting press revolutions and one for counting phase signals, are utilized to throw the printing units between printing and nonprinting conditions as a sheet moves through the printing press. Pulse responsive control means is also provided for overriding the controls operated to throw the units on and off in sequence so that individual units can be switched or actuated between printing and nonprinting conditions while the other units are in their printing condition. A loss of sheet detector operates to force counting means for controlling the operation of the printing units between their printing and nonprinting conditions to a predetermined count to throw off in response to a loss of sheet detection starting with the unit immediately following the location loss of sheet detection.

The present invention relates to a multiunit printing press or similar processing machine in which units operate on a sheet or the like in sequence and individually are thrown to a working condition by sequentially actuating a plurality of mechanisms in each unit.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved multicolor printing press in which pulse signals are used to throw the printing units on and off in sequence and to sequentially actuate throw mechanisms within the units to throw the respective unit being operable to throw on or off while other units are printing.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved multiunit printing press in which a counting means operates to provide electrical signals for throwing the respective units of a printing press on and off independently of the operation of other units to facilitate operation of the various printing press units independently of the others to perform such functions as loss of sheet throw offs, ink up, plate up, blanket roll up, and proofing.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved multiunit lithographic printing press or other multiunit sheet processing machine in which the units are to be rendered operable or inoperable in sequence during normal operation to process sheets with each unit requiring sequential actuation of a plurality of mechanisms to render the unit operable or inoperable and in which the machine is rendered operable to process a sheet by a first counting means for counting and distributing signals representative of specific times relative to the machine cycle and is rendered inoperable to process a sheet in response to off control means including a second counting means for distributing signals, the machine units preferably being rendered effective or ineffective to process a sheet independently of each other with the first and second counting means being preferably operable at the same time to control different units.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved multiunit sheet processing machine 3,467,007 Patented Sept. 16, 1969 such as a multiunit lithographic printing press in which a first counting means responsive to pulses indicative of machine cycle times provides signals for determining when the machine units are set into a working condition as a sheet moves through the machine, a second counting means is operable in response to the pulses to provide signals to throw the units out of working condition in a predetermined sequence, and in which the first counting means is used under certain conditions to throw off the units in sequence.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved multiunit sheet processing machine such as lithographic printing press in which the sheet moves through the units in sequence and a loss of sheet between units effects operation of circuit means including a first counting means, normally used in sequentially throwing the units on to render them effective to process a sheet, to throw off the units following the loss of sheet to sequentially render them ineffective to process a sheet and the operation of circuit means including a second counting means to stop the feeding of sheets and to sequentially throw off the units in advance of the loss of sheet detection beginning with the first unit to render them ineffective to process a sheet.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved rotary sheet processing machine such as a lithographic printing press having a plurality of units which operate on a sheet in sequence as a sheet moves through the machine and in which counting means for providing signals indicative of machine rotation is utilized to render machine units effective or ineffective in sequence beginning with the first unit as a sheet proceeds through the machine and is adapted to have a particular count set therein to start the control sequence with a unit different from the first unit.

The present invention further contemplates a multiunit sheet processing machine wherein a loss of sheet detection between units forces a counting means to a particular count to provide signals to be used to sequentially throw off the units to the machine following the loss of sheet to render the units ineffective to process a sheet.

The present invention contemplates the use of a timing counter in a rotary sheet processing machine to distribute pulses indicative of timing within a machine revolution to each of a plurality of sheet processing units to operate separate mechanisms of the units in sequence and additional counting means to count machine revolutions and to condition various units of the machine to be responsive to the timing signals in particular machine revolutions.

The present invention further contemplates a machine as in the next preceding paragraph in which the revolution counting means includes one counter for providing revolu tion signal for throwing off the units in certain revolutions and a second counter for throwing on the units in certain revolutions.

The invention further contemplates a rotary machine as in the preceding paragraph in which selected mechanism only may be actuated in response to the timing and revolution signals and in which the mechanisms for the various units can be actuated out of sequence to throw the units on or off within a fewer number of revolutions than that required when the units are operated in normal sequence.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof made with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part lower 31 at the other. The

of the present specification for all subject matter disclosed therein and in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a multiunit lithographic printing press embodying the present invention;

' FIG. 2 is an illustration showing a throw mechanism which may be utilized in the press of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3. is an illustration showing another type of throw mechanism which may be utilized in the press of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic showing of an electric control circuit for one of the printing units;

FIGS. 5A and 5B are a diagrammatic showing of electric control circuits for starting and stopping the feeding of sheets and providing and controlling the distribution of timing signals;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic showing of an electric control circuit showing certain relays used in controlling the printing press;

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic showing of an electric circuit for controlling the press in the event that a sheet is lost;

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic showing of an electric circuit for effecting an inking of the printing cylinders;

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic showing of an electric circuit for controlling the first printing unit; and

FIG. 10 is a drawing illustrating certain circuit components used in the control circuits.

The present invention is illustrated in the drawings as being embodied in a multicolor lithographic printing press. The units of the printing press have been designated by the reference characters A, B, C and each unit includes plate, blanket and impression cylinders. The plate cylinders of the units have been given the reference numeral 10 with the reference character of the printing unit as a sufiix while the same system has been utilized to identify the blanket cylinders using the reference numeral 12 and the impression cylinders using the reference number 13. Each of the printing units also includes an inking and dampening mechanism and the form rolls of the inking and dampening mechanism have been illustrated on certain of the printing units and the mechanism has been designated by the reference character 16 with the suffix indicating the particular unit.

Sheets to be printed in the printing press are fed by a pile feeder 17 down a feed board 18 to a feed cylinder 20 which conveys the sheets to an advance cylinder 21 which in turn conveys the sheets to the impression cylinder of the printing unit A. After the sheet is printed in the printing unit A, it is transferred to a double-size trans fer cylinder 23 which conveys the sheet to the printing unit B. Similar double-size transfer cylinders 23 convey the sheets between all of the succeeding units. The impression cylinder of the last printing unit delivers the sheet to a delivery mechanism.

All of the cylinders of the printing press which convey a sheet have sheet gripping mechanism thereon disposed in an axially extending gap in the periphery of the cylinder to grip the leading edge of the sheet and cause the latter to move with the cylinder. The double-size transfer cylinders have two sets of gripping mechanisms thereon and the gripping mechanisms are adapted to alternately transfer a sheet from the preceding unit to the following unit. The double-size transfer cylinders rotate at one-half the angular speed of the impression cylinders.

The printing units each include throw mechanisms for throwing the inking mechanism on and off relative to the plate cylinder, the pressure between the plate cylinder and the blanket cylinder on and off, and the pressure between the blanket cylinder and the impression cylinder on and off.

The mechanisms for throwing the inker on and off and the plate and impression pressures on and off are, in the illustrated embodiment, individually controllable. The mechanisms for accomplishing the respective throw on and throw off movements may basically comprise a cam for reciprocating a cam follower 31 carried by a lever 31 pivoted at one end and mounting the cam folmechanism may further comprise a throw member 33 pivoted to the arm 32 intermediate its ends and swingable to a first position where an abutment 35 thereon is adapted to engage a roller 36 as the throw member is reciprocated in a work stroke to move the roller 36 with the throw member and to rotate a shaft 37 in a clockwise direction. The throw member 33 may also be swung in the opposite direction to position a shoulder 38 on the throw member so as to engage a roller 40 on the opposite side of the shaft 37 from the roller 36 to move the roller 40 in a counterclockwise direction to rotate the shaft 37 as the throw member 33 is moved through its work stroke. The shaft 37 is operatively connected to the respective cylinder or inker to effect its throw on and throw off movements when the shaft is rotated between its two positions by the throw member 33. When the shaft is rotated in one direction the mechanism is thrown off and when the shaft is rotated in its other direction the motion is thrown on. The position of the throw member and, in turn, of the shaft, that is a throw on or throw off position, is controlled by the energization of solenoids S and S. One of the solenoids is energized to position the throw member 33 in a throw on position and the other is energized to position the throw member 33 in a throw off position. The solenoids S have been schematically indicated in FIG. 2.

In the description of the invention, the solenoids S are energized and deenergized at the proper time to effect a throw on and throw off of the particular motion. The solenoids S, S for controlling the various motions are given the same reference character in the description as the mechanism controlled thereby with an S appended thereto. For example, the solenoid for controlling the ink on of the first printing unit is given the same reference character as the inking mechanism with an S applied thereto. The solenoid for controlling the pressure between the plate and the blanket is referred to as controlling the plate on movement and has been given the same reference character as the plate cylinder with an S appended thereto. The solenoids for controlling the pressure between the impression and blanket cylinders, impression on and off, have been given the same reference numeral as the impression cylinder with an S or 8' respectively appended thereto.

The type of throw mechanism illustrated in FIG. 2 initiates the work stroke to throw on or throw off at the same angular position of the impression cylinder of the corresponding printing unit. It may be desirable to initiate the work stroke for throwing off at a different angular position of the impression cylinder than that for throwing on. FIG. 3 illustrates how the throw mechanism may be modified to effect operation in the described mode. In FIG. 3, the mechanism includes a pair of cam followers 31a, 31b and a pair of pivoted arms 32a, 32b which are reciprocated by a cam 30a in an out of phase relationship. The pivoted arms 32a, 32b respectively have a roller 41, 42 thereon for effecting operation of a throw member 43 which is movable endwise in opposite directions to effect the throw on and throw off operations. The throw member is disposed between the rollers 41, 42 and has oppositely facing shoulders on opposite sides thereof which are adapted to be engaged by a respective one of the rollers to move the throw member in a respective endwise direction. The throw member is swingable between positions for causing a respective shoulder to be engaged by its corresponding roller by energizing one of a pair of solenoids S, S. If the solenoid S is energized, the throw member is positioned so that the roller 41 will move the throw member in one axial direction while if the solenoid S is energized, the throw member is positioned so that the roller 42 will move the throw member in the opposite direction. Once the throw member has been moved by a respective roller, continued reciprocation of the roller will have no effect unless the position of the throw member is changed to position the throw member so that the other roller will engage the shoulder with which it cooperates. It will be noted that the pivot for the lever 32b is intermediate the cam follower 31b and roller 41 so that the roller 41 is moved positively through its work stroke.

In describing the present invention, the time of the throw on and throw off of each movement will be referenced to the time which it occurs within a single press revolution as measured from a press 0. In throwing a printing unit on or off, the plate, ink and impression motions occur in sequence Within 360 of press rotation, In certain types of printing presses, the throw on and throw off motions for the various units occur at the same angular position in the press revolution. This type of printing press may be described as one in which the operating units are in phase. In other types of printing presses, the various printing units are thrown on and 01f at different time in a press revolution and these printing presses may be described as printing presses where the units are out of phase with each other.

As is well understood by those skilled in the art, the printing units in a printing press are thrown on in sequence as a sheet comes through the printing press and are thrown ofi in sequence as the last sheet proceeds through the printing press. The first printing unit is thrown on within the first press revolution of the press as a sheet moves to be printed by the first printing unit and the following printing unit is thrown on during a subsequent revolution of the printing press to allow the sheet time to move from the first printing unit to the second printing unit. Similarly, the throw on of the third printing unit is delayed to allow the sheet to move from the second to the third, etc.

In the illustrated press, the printing units operate in an out of phase relationship and the various motions of the printing press are thrown on and off in response to pulse signals which occur at predetermined times during the press revolution to set the throw mechanisms to eitect the respective throw on and throw off movements. As will be understood by those skilled in the art the actual throw on or throw ofl? movement does not necessarily occur at the time the solenoid is energized since the solenoid merely sets the throw mechanism to be operated by the cam at the proper time in the press revolution.

In the illustrated embodiment, a throw mechanism is provided for each of the plate, ink and impression movements and a solenoid is provided for throwing the respective movement on and one is provided for throwing the respective movement 01f. When the particular movement is to be thrown on, the on solenoid is energized and when the particular movement is to be thrown off, the off solenoid is energized. A relay controls the solenoids and has normally open contacts which are closed to energize the on solenoid and normally closed contacts which energize the olf solenoid when the relay is deenergized. As illustrated in FIG. 4, relays 50, 51 and 52 respectively control the solenoids for the plate movement, the ink movement and the impression movement of each printing unit.

The energization of the solenoids for controlling the movements is controlled, in the illustrated and preferred embodiment, by static logic circuitry operated in response to pulses derived from a pulse generator 55 shown diagrammatically in the drawings in FIG. 5B. The logic circuits for controlling the relays 50, 51 and 52 are substantially the same for the various printing units and the logic circuitry for controlling the plate, ink and impression movements of No. 2 printing unit, unit B, is shown in FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 4, the logic circuits for the printing unit B includes an ON AND gate 60 which is conditioned to effect a setting of the plate tripping mechanism at the proper time in the press cycle when the unit is to be thrown on, a blanket roll up (BRU) AND gate 61 which may be conditioned to pass a timing signal when it is desired to operate the press to effect a roll up of the blanket (an inking of the plate and blanket without the impression cylinder being on pressure). The logic circuitry for controlling the plate on and off movements also includes an OFF AND gate 62 for passing a timing signal to deenergize the relay 50 to set the trip mechanism to throw off the plate, a master trip (MT) AND gate 63 for effecting a tripping of the plate mechanism in response to a master trip signal and a loss of sheet (LOS) AND gate 64 for passing a timing signal to trip the plate off in response to a loss of sheet signal.

At the start of a printing operation, the plate of the printing unit B is to be thrown on pressure in a press revolution after the press revolution in which the preceding printing unit, the printing unit A, has been thrown on. Similarly, the plate unit for the following units are to be thrown on in sequence in subsequent press revolutions. The ON gate 60 for tripping on the plate movement of the printing units after the first printing unit has three inputs, an ON input for receiving an ON conditioning signal signifying that the plate is to be tripped on at the proper time in the press operation and a N input to which a N signal, N(2) in the case of the unit B, is applied during the press revolution in which the plate movement is to be tripped on and a P input connection where a P input signal, P(11) in the case of unit B, appears at the angular position in the press revolution at which the trip mechanism is to be set to an on condition. When all three inputs are applied to the input connections of the ON gate 60, an output appears on an output connection 60d of the ON gate 60 and this output is applied to one input of a logic circuit 76 which may be described as a SEALED AND circuit. The SEALED AND circuit 76 has three input connections 76a, 76b, 76c and the output connections 60d of the ON gate 60 is applied to the input connection 760. The AND gate 76 has an output connection 76d upon which an output appears when an input is applied to all three of the input connections thereto. The dashed line in the drawings from the output 76d to the input of the circuit 76 indicates that the inputs 76a, 76b may be removed without a loss of the output from the output connection 76d. When the plate is to be thrown on during normal operation, the inputs 76b and 76c will normally have inputs applied thereto from a counter transition line 80 and an OR NOT gate 82 which has an output on its output connection 82d except when the mechanism is to be set in an off condition.

The output which appears on the output connection 760. of the SEALED AND circuit 76 is applied to an AND gate 85. The AND gate 85 has an input 85a to which the output connection of the SEALED AND gate 76 is connected and an input 85b which during normal operation has an input signal applied thereto by a bistable memory circuit 88 whose operation will be described in more detail hereinafter. The AND gate 85 has an output connection 85d upon which an output appears when an input is applied to both of the inputs 85a, 85b and a NOT output 8512 upon which an output appears when an input signal is not present on both the input connections 85a, 85b. The output connection 85d is connected to one input 90a of an OR gate 90 having an output connection 90d connected to a driver amplifier whose output is used to energize the relay 50. Consequently, when an output appears on the output connection 90d of the OR gate 90, the relay 50 will be energized to energize the ON solenoid 108 to set the plate throw mechanism to throw the plate on pressure at the proper point in the revolution of the printing unit as determined by the cam of the mechanism.

The BRU gate 61 may also provide an output to energize the relay 50. The BRU gate 61 has an output connection 61d which is connected to the input 76a of the SEALED AND circuit 76. Consequently, when an output appears on the output connection 61d of the BRU gate 61, the relay 50 will be energized in the same manner as when an output occurs on the output connection 60d of the ON gate 60. The BRU gate 61 has a BRU input, an

N input and a P input which must have signals thereon to operate the gate.

When the relay 50 is energized as the result of an output from the SEALED AND circuit 76, the relay will be deenergized to effect an energization of the off solenoid 105' to set the trip mechanism to trip the plate ofi if the output on the output connection 76d of the SEALED AND gate 76 is lost. The input 76c of the SEALED AND circuit 76 is, as noted above, connected to the output of the OR NOT gate 82. The OR NOT gate 82 has three inputs 82a, 82b, 820. The input 82a normally has an input signal applied thereto during the operation of the press from a connection 107 connected to the output of an input signal generator 108. The input signal generator 108 is connected to a power source to provide the input signal through the normally open contacts Ill-1 of a unit lockout relay 111. The unit lock-out relay 111 is deenergized except when the unit is not to be used and the signal originator is normally ineifective to apply an input signal to the OR NOT gate 82 which would cause a loss of output on the gate output connection 8201.

The inputs 82b, 82c of the OR NOT gate 82 are connected to the outputs of AND gates 62, 63, 64. The output of the OFF AND gate 62 is connected to the input connection 82b of the OR NOT gate 82 while the outputs of the master trip AND gate 63 and the loss of sheet AND gate 64 are connected to the input connection 820. If an output appears on from any of the AND gates 62, 63, 64, the OR NOT gate 82 will lose its output to the input 76c of the SEALED AND circuit 76. The loss of the signal on the input 760 of the SEALED AND circuit 76 will cause a loss of output on the output connection 76d and the loss of the output from AND gate 85 to in turn cause a deenergization of the relay 50 to deenergize the solenoid 105 for setting the mechanism in a trip on condition and energize the solenoid for setting the mechanism to trip off.

The OFF gate 62 is a three input AND gate. One input connection has an OFF conditioning signal applied thereto when the plate is to be tripped 011?, a second input connection will have an F signal F(2) applied thereto during the revolution of the press during which the trip ofi is to occur, and a third input connection will have a P input signal applied thereto at the angular position in the press revolution where the trip mechanism is to 'be set to trip off the unit. When a press unit is to be tripped off during normal operation, the first printing unit trips off during one press revolution, the second printing unit will trip off during a subsequent press revolution to permit the last sheet printing in the first printing unit to be printing in the second printing unit, the third printing unit will trip off during a press revolution subsequent to that of the second printing unit to allow the last sheet to be printed in the third printing unit, etc. During trip 01f, the F input connection of gate 62 does not have an input signal applied thereto until the proper revolution for the trip olf to occur. The P input connection 620 has a P signal applied thereto during each press revolution at the proper point in the press revolution that the trip mechanism is to be set to trip the plate off. Similarly, the MT gate 63 has three inputs, one an MT input to which an MT signal is applied when a master trip of the press is to occur, an F input connection which has an F signal applied thereto during the revolution in which the master trip is to occur, and a P input which has a P signal applied thereto during each press revolution at the point in the press revolution that the master trip is to occur.

Similarly, the LOS gate 64 has three inputs on which input signals appear when the plate unit is to be tripped off in response to a loss of sheet signal. A LOS input will have a loss of sheet (LOS) signal applied thereto when such a trip oil? is to occur, an N input will have an N signal applied thereto during that revolution of the press that the trip off is to occur, and a P input will have a P input signal applied thereto at the point during the revolution when the relay 50 is to be deenergized to set the mechanism to trip off.

The logic circuitry for energizing and deenergizing the relay 51 which controls the ink throw mechanism is a substantial duplicate in the units of the printing press after the first unit of the logic circuitry for controlling the plate throw mechanism. As shown in FIG. 4, the circuit for the second unit includes a SEALED AND circuit 135 whose output is applied through an OR gate 136 and an amplifier 137 to energize the relay 51. The SEALED AND gate 135 is a three input AND gate having inputs 1350, 135b, 1351: which correspond to the inputs 76a, 76b, 760 of the SEALED AND circuit 76. The input connection 135a is connected to the output of an ink ON gate 142 and to the output of an ink BRU gate 143. The ink ON gate 142 and the BRU gate 143 are AND gates having three inputs. One input of the ink ON gate 142 is conditioned from the output d of the AND gate 85 in the plate on circuitry so that the ON gate will be conditioned to supply an output to the SEALED AND circuit during the press revolution when the plate mechanism has been set to throw on. Another input of the gate 142 has an ON conditioning signal applied thereto which is the same signal which is applied to the ON gate 60 in the plate control circuitry, and a P input has a P signal P(3) applied thereto at the time in the press revolution that the ink ON solenoid is to be energized. The occurrence of signals on all of the inputs of the ink ON gate 142 provides an output to the input 13511 to cause operation of the circuitry, as in the case of the SEALED AND circuit 76 in the plate circuitry, to energize the relay 51 through the OR gate 136 and amplifier 137.

Similarly, the BRU gate 143 may operate to effect energization of the ink relay 51. The BRU gate has a BRU input to which a BRU signal is applied when the BRU gate 143 is to efiFect a tripping on of the ink throw mechanism blanket roll up operation, an N input to which an N signal is applied during the revolution when this is to occur and a P input to which a P signal is applied at the time during the revolution that this is to occur. The presence of these three signals provides an output signal on output 143d Which is connected to the input 135a of the SEALED AND circuit 135.

When the SEALED AND circuit 135 has effected the energization of the relay 51, the operation of an OFF AND gate 156 or an MT AND gate 157, or a LOS AND gate 158 will cause the loss of the input on the input connection 135c of the SEALED AND circuit 135 to cause a loss of output from the circuit and the deenergization of the relay 51 to set the throw mechanism for the ink r to throw the inker off. The outputs of the AND gates 156, 157, 158 are connected to inputs of an OR NOT gate whose output is connected to the input connection 1 35c of the SEALED AND circuit 135. The OR NOT gate 160 has three inputs 160a, 160b, 1606. The input connection 160a is energized from the signal input originator 108 and an input is absent unless the particular printing unit is to be locked out by energization of the relay 111. The input connection 16% is connected to the output of the OFF gate 156 while the input connection 160a is connected to the outputs of the MT gate 157 and the LOS gate 158. Consequently the appearance of an output from anyone of the gates 156, 157, 158 will cause the OR NOT gate 160 to lose its output to in turn cause the SEALED AND circuit 135 to lose its output and effect a deenergization of the relay 51 and set the throw mechanism to trip off.

The OFF gate 156 of the inker control is a two input AND gate having one input connection connected to the NOT output connection 850 of the AND gate 85 in the circuitry for controlling the plate. It will be recalled that when the plate is on pressure, the AND gate 85 has an output signal. Consequently, the NOT connection 85e does not have an output when the plate is on pressure and only has an output when the AND circuit 85 has no output signifying that the plate is not on as a result of the operation of the ON gate 60 or the BRU gate 61. When this is true, an output is provided on the NOT output 852 to condition the OFF gate 156 of the inker to throw the inker to its oif condition and the AND gate 156 will have an output to throw the inker off when a P timing pulse P(4) is next applied to its P input. A P input is applied thereto at the time in each revolution of the press that the inking mechanism is to be set to throw to its off position. Consequently, when the plate is thrown to its oif position, the output of the AND gate 85 conditions the OFF gate 156 to cause the inker to be thrown in sequence to its olf condition.

The MT gates 157 and the LOS gate 158 are three input AND gates. The MT gate 157 has an MT input on which a master trip signal MT appears on when a master trip is to be effected, and F input to which an F signal F(2) is applied during the revolution in which the master trip is to be effected and a P input on which a P signal P(4) appears at the time during the press revolution when the inker is to be thrown oif. Similarly, the AND gate 158 has inputs which respectively have a loss of sheet signal LOS, a revolution signal N(3), and a timing signal P(4) within the revolution applied thereto when the inker is to be thrown off in response to the loss of sheet detection.

The energization and deenergization of the relay 52 for controlling the impression throw mechanism is controlled by an impression ON gate 180 and off gates 202, 206, 207. The ON gate 180 is conditioned by the output of the AND circuit 85 in the plate to provide an output to effect the throw on of the impression cylinder when the AND circuit 85 has operated to set the plate mechanism to throw on. The AND gate 180 is a three input AND gate having one input connection to which the NOT output connection 85e of the AND circuit 85 is connected, a P input on which a pulse occurs at the time in the press revolution at which the throw mechanism for the impression cylinder is to be set to throw on and an input connection 180a which normally has a BRU input applied thereto from the blanket roll up control circuitry described hereinafter. The output of the ON AND gate 180 is applied to the sealed input 185a of a SEALED AND gate 185 which has an output connection 185d for energizing the relay 52 through an amplifier 187 to effect a throw on of the impression pressure. The SEALED AND gate 196, 185 is a three input AND gate having input connections 185a, 18517, and 1850. The output connection 180d from the AND gate 180 is connected to the sealed input connection 185a; the input connection 18517 normally has a signal applied thereto from the counter transition inhibit line 80, while the input 1850 is connected to the output of an OR NOT gate 196 Which normally applies an input signal thereto unless one of three gates 202, 206, 207 for effecting a throw off of the impression pressure is operated to supply an input to the OR NOT gate 196.

The OFF AND gate 202 is a two input AND gate having an input connection connected to the NOT output connection of the AND gate 85 in the plate control circuitry and is conditioned to effect a throw off of the impression unit when the AND gate 85 in the plate control circuitry is not operated signifying that the plate throw mechanism has been set to throw off. The other input of the AND gate 202 will have a P input signal P(7) applied thereto during the time in the revolution at which the impression throw off is to occur. Consequently, if the plate is thrown oif pressure, the OFF gate 202 will operate to provide a signal which effects a throwing off of the impression in proper sequence.

The input connection 1960 of the OR NOT gate 196 is connected to the output of AND gates 206, 207. The AND gate 206 is a master trip AND gate and has one input on which the conditioning signal MT appears when a master trip is to be effected, a second input upon which an F revolution signal F(2) appears when the master trip is to be effected, and a third input upon which a P timing signal P(7) is applied during each press revolution at the time during the press revolution that the throw off is to occur. Similarly, the loss of sheet circuit 207 has a LOS input upon which a loss of sheet signal appears when a loss of sheet trip olf is to be effected, a N input upon which a N press revolution signal N(3) occurs, and a P input upon which a P timing signal P(7) appears at the time in the press revolution that the impression mechanism is to be set to throw off. The third input 196a is connected to the signal input originator 108 and an input is absent unless relay 111 is energized.

During operation of the printing press, the first press unit is set during the first revolution of the press to throw on or throw off and the succeeding units are thrown on and off during succeeding press revolutions to effect the throwing on and throwing off of the printing press in sequence as a sheet moves through the printing press. If the printing press is of the type where the units operate in phase, the printing units will throw off in successive press revolutions. In the illustrated embodiment, it takes more than one press revolution for a sheet to travel from the first printing unit to the second printing unit. Consequently, the operation of the various throw mechanisms of the respective printing units will not occur at the same time in the revolution as for the same mechanism of the pre ceding unit and as the sheet moves through the press, and certain units of the printing press may have their plate, ink and impression motions occurring in dilferent revolutions of the press as measured from press zero although these motions will always be set to throw on or off within 360 of press rotation.

It is also common in printing presses to have the throw on and throw off movements for a particular mechanism to be set or initiated at the same angular position of the press. However, it is desirable to be able to set the throw on and throw off movements of a particular mechanism at diiferent times within the press cycle and the described logic circuitry facilitates the operation in this matter.

The press includes a pulse generating means for generating a pulse at each angular position during a press revolution that a throw on or off movement is to be set to occur and each unit will have gates as in FIG. 4 which will pass the signal during the proper press revolution to effect the throw movement. Referring to FIG. 5B, the pulse signals for effecting the throw on and the throw off of the units at the particular time in the press cycle are derived from the :pulse generator 55 which is illustrated as a code wheel having a reading head 220. The code wheel may have a series of slots therein which passes the reading head 220 at the particular time in the cycle that pulses are to be derived. In the illustrated embodiment pulses are derived at zero degrees, 35, 60, 215, 240, 275, 300 and 335 as measured from the press zero. The pulses from the reading head 220 must be selected and applied to the proper input of the gates in the logic circuitry for effecting the throw on and throw off movements. To this end, the pulses are applied through an AND gate 302 to a timing position counter 300 for counting the pulses from the reading head and providing outputs to a timing calculator 306.

The timing counter 300 has four binary stages 300a, 300b, 3000, 300d and each stage has an output connection and a NOT output connection. The output from each stage appears on a terminal 8 of the stage and for the stages 300a, 300b, 3000, 300d these outputs have been respectively identified as (A), (B), (C), (D). The NOT outputs of each stage appears on terminal 7 and the outputs have been identified as (K), (13 ('6), (D).

A press timing calculator 306 includes a plurality of output gate circuits 310, 311, 312, 313, 314, 315, 316, 317, 318, 319, 320, 321 as is shown in FIG. B. The inputs to the gate circuits are connected to the stages of the counter so that an output appears on each gate when a particular count is registered in the counter. Initially all of the counter stages are in their reset or off condition which provides a signal on each of the not outputs (K), (F), ('6), (D). When a count of one is registered in the counter the binary stage 300d switches to its set or on condition and an output P1 appears on the output of the AND gate 310. The AND gate 310 has three inputs connected respectively to the NOT outputs of the counter stages 300a, 300b, 3000, one input connected to the (D) output from counter stage 300d, and one input connected to the counter transition inhibit line 80. When an output appears from the gate 310, at the count of one, it indicates that the counter has counted the zero pulse. The second pulse counted by the counter is the 35 pulse which registers a count of 2 in the counter. When the count of two is registered in the counter, an output P2 appears on the output of gate 311 to indicate the 35 position of the press. The output on gate 310 will be lost when the counter changes its count from one to two since the D output will be lost. The output gate 311 is a three input AND gate which has one input connected to the NOT output of the counter stage 300d and a second input connected to the output of an AND gate 322 which has two inputs connected to the NOT outputs from the counter stages 300a, 300b and one input connected to the (C) output of the counter stage 3000. Consequently, the output gate 311 will only be operated to provide the timing signal P2 when the counter stages 300d, 300a, 300b are in their reset condition and the counter stage 300a is in its set condition. The connections of the other gates to the outputs of the counter are as shown in FIG. 5B and by reference to the figure it can readily be understood that the gates 310 321 are operated in sequence in response to the'pulses which occur as the pulse generating wheel rotates with the press to indicate the angular position of the wheel and of the press. Each of the output gates has been provided with a P signal designation P(l) P(12) and a degree designation to indicate their order in time and the angular position of the press at which the gate output appears.

The output signals P(1)-P(12) are applied to effect the throw on and throw off movements which are to occur at the press position indicated by the pulse signal. Referring to FIG. 4, the ON gate for the plate of the printing unit B is connected to the output gate 320 so that signal P(11) is applied to the P input 600 of the ON gate. Similarly, the BRU gate 61 has its P input connected to the output of the gate 320 to have the P signal P(11) applied thereto. The OFF gates 62, 63, 64 for the plate mechanism of press unit B has the timing signal P(12) applied thereto from the gate 321. In the inker, the inker is thrown on in response to a gate conditioning signal P(3) from the output gate 312 of the timing calculator which is at the 60 position in the press revolution. When the inker is to be thrown off, the throw mechanism is set to be thrown off at the 95 position of the press and the P(4) output of gate 313 is connected to the P inputs of OFF gates for the inker. Similarly, when the impression is to be thrown on, the throw on mechanism is set at the 155 position of the press and the P(6) output of gate 315 is connected to the ON gate 180 for the impression cylinder. When the impression of the press unit B is to be thrown off, the mechanism is to be set in its throw off condition at the 180 position of the press. Consequently, the output P7 from the gate 316 is connected to the P inputs of the off gates 202, 206, 207.

An ON counter 332 and an OFF counter 331 are pro vided to supply the F and N inputs to the gates in the logic circuits for the various units. Referring to FIG. 5B,

the code wheel has a second reading head 330 which provides an output pulse at 345 of each press revolution. This output pulse is applied to the OFF and the ON counters 331, 332 through respective AND gates 333, 334. The OFF counter 331 is a four stage counter having binary stages 331a, 331b, 3310, 33111 and similarly, the counter 332 has four binary stages 332a, 332b, 3320, 332d. The stages of the counter 331 have outputs (W), (X), (Y), (Z) and NOT outputs designated by the notations (W), (X), (Y), (Z). The counter stage 331a has the outputs Z and Z the stage 33 1b has the outputs (Y), (Y), the stage 331a has the outputs (X), (Y) and the stage 331d has the outputs (W), (W). Similarly, the counter stages 332a-332d of the ON counter 332 respectively have the outputs (H) and (H), (G) and ('G), (F) and (F), and (E) and (E).

The outputs and the NOT outputs from the olf revolution counter 331 are connected to an OFF revolution gating matrix 340 having output AND gates 341, 342, 343, 344, 345, 346, 347, 348, 349, 350 for providing the F signals. The inputs to the AND gates 341-350 are connected to the outputs and the NOT outputs from the counter stages of counter 331 to provide signals in sequence on the outputs of the AND gates 341-350 as the counters count the 345 pulses from the code wheel. Only one of the gates will have an output thereon at any given time. The outputs from the gates have been designated as output signals F1-F10 corresponding respectively to gates 341-350 and respectively indicate the revolution in which the press is rotating.

The proper F output is applied to the OFF gate-62 and the MT gates 63 in the plate control circuitry for the various units, and the MT gates 157, 206 in the ink and impression control circuitry for the various units to condition the gates to be operated to effect throw ofi in the proper revolution after the counter has started counting the pulses. In certain presses, the throw movements of a unit of a press occur in the same press revolution and, the MT gates for throwing off the plate, ink and impression cylinders for the various units will be connected to the output of the same gates in the revolution gating matrices. However, in other presses, as the illustrated press, certain units may have the plate on or plate 011 gate conditioned in one revolution and the impression on or the impression off gate conditioned in the following revolution as in the illustrated press.

Similarly, the on revolution counter outputs (H) and (E), (G) and (G), (F) and (F), and (E) and (E) are connected to a plurality of gates 351-360 of an ON revolution gating matrix 361. The gates are connected to the outputs in the manner indicated in FIG. 5B and have respective AND outputs designated N1, N2 N10 corresponding to the respective gates. The N outputs are connected to the N inputs of the ON gates in the plate control circuitry of the units to effect a conditioning of these gates at the proper revolution to effect the setting of the plate throw mechanism to an ON condition and to condition the ON gates in the inker and impression circuitry. The N outputs are also applied to the N inputs of the BRU gates to condition these gates in the proper press revolution to throw on the plates and inkers during blanket roll up. In addition, certain N outputs are connected to condition these gates to the N inputs of the loss of sheet gates 64, 158, 207 in the logic circuits for tripping off the plate, ink and impression mechanisms of the various printing units. As will be explained in more detail hereinafter, the use of the on revolution counter to condition the loss of sheet gates to effect a tripping off of the units allows the off revolution counter to be used simultaneously to throw the printing press units off in sequence for those units in advance of the loss of sheet detection.

The timing counter 300 is required, in the illustrated embodiment, to count twelve timing pulses P. Since twelve pulses does not fill the counter to capacity so that it will automatically reset, circuitry is provided for resetting the timing counter on the occurrence of the 345 pulse from the reading head 330. This also assures the accuracy of the timing counter. To this end, an AND NOT gate 370 is provided and has an output connected to reset connections 371 to each stage of the counter 300. The reset connections 371 for the stages of the counter 300 reset the counter stages to their oil condition in the conventional manner when an output which is present on the connections 371 is lost and reestablished. The AND NOT gate 370 maintains an output on the connections 371 unless there is an input at all three of the inputs of the AND NOT gate. Two of the inputs .are grounded and will be present at all times. The third input is provided by the 345 pulse signal from the reading head 330. Consequently, the output of gate 370 is momentarily lost on the occurrence of each 345 pulse so that the counter is reset during every revolution to start counting the pulses beginning with the zero degree pulse. Consequently, the outputs of the timing counter 300 always indicate the correct angular position of the press even though the counter has a higher counting capacity.

The AND gate 302 for the timing counter 300 and the AND gates 333, 334 for the OFF revolution counter 331 and the ON revolution counter 332 are respectively conditioned to pass the pulses when the printing press is to be thrown on or off in normal operation. When the press is to be thrown on, the ON counter gate 334 and the timing counter gate 302 are conditioned to pass the pulses to the on counter and the timing counter respectively from the pulse generator. When the press is to be thrown off, the timing counter gate 302 and the OFF counter gate 333 are conditioned to pass the pulses to the timing counter and to the olf revolution counter respectively. The gate 333 for the off revolution counter is controlled by a bistable memory circuit 375 which may be described as an OFF RETURN memory circuit. The circuit has an on input 3751:, an off input 375b, a reset input 375d and an output 375 upon which an output signal appears when the circuit 375 is on. The output 375 is applied to one input of the AND gate 333 and the other input of the AND gate 333 is connected to the reading head 330 so that when the memory circuit 375 is set to its on condition, the otf revolution counter is set to count the revolution pulses. Similarly, the bistable OFF RETURN memory circuit 380 is provided for the on revolution counter. The memory circuit 380 has an on input 380a, an off input 380b, a reset output 380d and an input connection 380 upon which an output signal appears when the memory 380 is in its on condition. The output connection 380 is connected to one input of the AND gate 334 and the other input of the AND gate 334 is connected to the reading head 330. Consequently, the AND gate 334 will pass the revolution pulses when the memory circuit 380 is on. The output connections 375f, 3807 of the memory circuits 375, 380 are also connected to connections 385, 386 to reset terminals (d) of the stages of counter 331, 332 respectively. If no signal is present on the connections 385, 386 the counter stages remain in or switch to their 01? state. Consequently the counting will always be at zero when the memory circuits for controlling the pulses to the counters are ofi and when turned on, the outputs therefiom on the connections 385, 386 enable the stages to respond to the pulses starting with a zero count.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that when the press is to be thrown on the application of a signal to the on input 380a of the on counter memory circuit 380 will open the gate 334 to enable the on counter 332 to start counting the pulses indicating press revolutions and to condition the ON gates 60 in the various printing units in the proper revolution of the press to effect a throwing on of the units in the proper sequence. Similarly, if the printing press is printing and is to be thrown off in a normal manner, the application of an input signal to the on input 375a of of]? counter memory circuit 375 will condition the gate 333 to pass the revolution pulses from the reading head 330 and the olf revolution counter will condition the OFF gates 62 in sequence in the printing units to throw the units off in sequence.

When either the on counter or olf counter is conditioned to start counting the AND gate 302 for the timing counter 300 is also conditioned to pass the timing pulses from the reading head 220 to the timing counter 300. The output 375 from the memory circuit 375 for the OE revolution counter 331 is connected to one input of an OR gate 390 while the output connection 380 of the memory circuit 380 for controlling the on revolution counter is connected to the other input of the OR gate 390. The output of the OR gate 390 is connected to one input of the AND gate 302. The AND gate 302 is a two input AND gate and when there is an output from the OR gate 390 signifying that either the on revolution counter or the 01f revolution counter has been conditioned to count the revolution pulses, the gate 302 will pass the pulses from the reading head 220 to the timing degree counter.

The control circuitry is such that the gates in the timing calculator 306 and in the control circuits for each press unit which control the on and off movements of the plate, inker and impression are inhibited when a pulse is being applied to any of the counters. The AND gates 302, 333, 334 for the counters 300, 331, 332 have NOT outputs 302e, 333e and 334e respectively. The NOT outputs 302e, 333e and 344e are connected as the inputs to an AND gate 395 whose output is connected to the input of a conventional amplifier 396 whose output is, in turn, connected to the counter transition inhibit line 80. The counter transition inhibit line is connected to an input of each gate in the timing calculator 306 and to sealed inputs 76b, b, b of the SEALED AND circuits 76, 135, 185 in the control circuits for each unit and prevents these circuits from being turned on while any counter is in transition. The circuits will be inhibited since the application of a pulse to turn on any of the AND gates 302, 333, 334 will cause the loss of the NOT output of the gate to cause the AND gate 395 to turn olf to in turn lose the signal on the counter transition inhibit line 80. After the SEALED AND circuits have been turned on, the loss of an input signal on the line 80 has no effect on the circuits since the inputs 76b, 13511, 18512 are sealed.

The control circuitry also includes a reset unit 397 which upon the application of power applies a delayed continuous signal to a connection 400 connected to a (d) terminal of each stage of the counter 300 of the counter stages to assure that they all reset to their oil condition on the application of power.

The on counter 332 operates in combination with the timing counter 300 to throw on the printing units of the press in sequence when the feeder is operated to feed sheets to the press.

The feeder may be a conventional type having a clutch control lever which is moved from an olf position to a first or trip slow position to engage the feeder drive clutch and to a second or run position in which the clutch is maintained engaged and control circuitry actuated to effeet a run speed.

The control lever is latched into the first position when it is moved thereto by the energization of a feeder latch solenoid 437, FIG. 5A, which must be energized to enable the lever to remain in either its first or second clutch engaged position.

When the lever is moved to its first position, a first position switch 420, FIG. 6, is operated to energize a relay CR1 having normally open contacts 425CR1 and when the lever is moved to its second position, a second position switch 422 is closed to energize a relay CR2 having normally open contacts 426CR2 and normally closed contacts 427CR2 (FIG. 5A). The first position switch 420 is maintained closed when the control lever is moved to its second position.

When the feeder is started by the movement of the control lever to its first position to engage the feeder clutch, the relay CR1 is energized to close its contacts 425CR1. A closing of the contacts 425CR1 energizes the input of a signal originator 431 Whose input is contacted to the input of a one shot multivibrator 432 to trigger the multivibrator to its unstable state to provide an output pulse which is applied to the on terminal 435a of a feeder memory circuit 435 of the OFF RETURN type to turn the memory circuit on and to the on terminal 488a of a bistable memory circuit 488 which is tripped off, as explained hereinafter in response to a multisheet detection. When the feeder memory circuit 435 is turned on, an output appears on terminal 435 of the memory circuit to energize, through an amplifier 436, a relay" CR12 for energizing the feeder latch solenoid 437 for holding the clutch control lever in a clutch engaged position to drive the feeder to feed sheets. conventionally, the clutch connects the feeder to the printing press drive which is normally operating at a trip slow speed when the feeding of sheets is started. When the first position relay CR1 is energized, the feeder will feed sheets through the press but the printing units will not be thrown on.

When the press is operating a feeder trip relay is always energized. The trip relay CR3 (FIG. 6) has normally open contacts 430CR3 (FIG. A) which when closed supply an input through a signal originator 454 to an AND NOT circuit 455 for supplying a turn off signal to the feeder memory circuit 435 to cause the loss of the turn off signal during a normal starting.

The printing units are thrown on by moving the feeder control lever to its second position to energize the relay CR2 to close its contacts 426CR2 and to open its contacts 427CR2 (FIG. 5A). The closing of the contacts 426CR2 connects the input of a signal originator 440 to the power supply to provide an input to a one shot multivibrator 441 to trigger it to its unstable state and to provide an output pulse on an output connection 442 which is applied to the ON terminal 444a of a bistable speed memory circuit which is of the OFF RETURN type. The application of the input signal to the on terminal 444a of the speed memory 444 sets the memory to provide an output on the output terminal 444] of the memory circuit to effect the energization of a relay CR10 through an amplifier 446. The relay CR10 causes the press to accelerate to run speed and to drive the feeder at run speed. The output terminal 444 also provides the ON conditioning signal for the ON gates of each machine unit; and is connected to the gates by a connection 447.

The speed memory 444 also has an off terminal 44412 and a reset terminal 444d.

The Signal on the output connection 442 from the one shot multivibrator 441 is also applied to the on terminal 448a of a bistable run memory circuit 448 of the OFF RETURN type. The memory circuit 448 has an output terminal 448), an off terminal 448!) and a reset terminal 448d. When the OFF RETURN memory circuit 448 is turned on by the signal from the one shot multivibrator 441, the output on its output connection 4481 provides an input signal to an OR gate 450 having an output connection 451 connected to an input 452a of a two input AND gate 452 whose output is connected to turn on the on counter memory circuit 380 to enable the on counter to start counting pulses. The other input for the AND gate 452, input 452b, is connected to the reading head 330 to apply revolution pulses from the reading head 330 to the AND gate 452. Since the terminal 45212 of AND gate 452 is normally conditioned with an input signal, the operation of the run memory circuit 448 to its on condition conditions the gate to pass the 345 pulses from the reading head 330. The output of the gate 452 is applied to the on input 380a of the on counter memory circuit '380 which, when turned on, conditions the AND gate 334 to pass the revolution pulses to the on revolution counter 332 to start counting revolutions. As explained hereinbefore, the on output 380 of the on memory circuit 380 is also connected through the OR gate 390 to condition the timing counter AND gate 302 to pass the pulses from the reading head 220 to the timing counter 300. The timing counter will now operate to apply the timing pulses to the proper logic circuitry and during the various press revolutions, the on counter will condition the proper gates to effect a throwning on of the printing press units and this will be done in sequence.

The output of the AND gate 452 for turning on the on memory circuit 380 is also connected to the OFF terminal 37511 of the oflf counter memory circuit 375 through an AND gate 453 to assure that the off counter is not operating. The AND gate 453 is normally conditioned to be operated by the output from AND gate 452 by a NOT loss of sheet signal TIE.

The de-energization of feeder trip relay CR3 during feeder operation will cause a tripping of the feeder and a throwing off of the printing press.

The deenergization of relay CR3 opens its 430CR3 contacts to cause the loss of the input signal to a signal originator 454 whose output is connected to an AND NOT gate 455 for turning off the feeder memory circuit 435 which deenergizes the feeder solenoid 437 to trip the feeder control lever to its off position. The AND NOT gate 455 has an input 455a connected to the output of the signal originator 454, an input 455b connected to the output 488] from a bistable multisheet detector memory circuit 488 of the OFF RETURN memory type, and an input 4880 to which a NOT loss of sheet signal L O S is normally aplied. The loss of any input to the feeder AND NOT gate 455 will cause an output on the output connection 455d which is connected to the off terminal 435b of the feeder memory circuit 435 to turn the circuit off to, in turn, trip the feeder on the deenergization of feeder latch solenoid 437.

The tripping of the feeder opens switch 422 and effects the closing of the contacts 427CR2 on the deenergization of the relay CR2 to connect the input of a signal originator 460 to the power source to provide an output signal to an AND gate 461 and to the off terminal 44817 of the run memory circuit 448 to turn the memory circuit off. When the memory circuit 448 is turned off, a NOT outout appears on an output terminal 448a. The NOT output on the terminal 4482 is used to provide the OFF conditioning signal for the off inputs of the OFF gates in the control circuits for each press unit and is connected to the gates through an amplifier 456 and a connection 457. The NOT output on terminal 448e also initiates operation of the off revolution counter 331 and is applied to an input of an OR gate 462 which has its output connection 463 connected to an input 4640! of an AND gate 464 whose output is connected to the input terminal 375a of the off counter memory circuit 375. The AND gate 464 is a three input gate having input terminals 464a, 464b and 464a. The input 464b is normally conditioned with a BRU off input signal, as will be explained hereinafter, and the input connection 464c is connected to the reading head B to apply the 345 pulse from the reading head to the input 4640 of AND gate 4640. Consequently, when the feeder is tripped, the first 345 pulse will be passed by the AND gate 464 to turn on the off counter meroy circuit 375. The off counter merory circuit 375 when switched on conditions, asexplained hereinbefore, the gate 333 for passing the pulses from the reading head 330 to the off revolution counter 331 to start counting the revolutions of the press. Also as noted hereinbefore, the output connection 375 of the oflf memory circuit 375 is connected to one input of the OR gate 390 whose output conditions the timing counter gate 302 to pass pulses to the timing counter 300. Consequently, an output from the gate 464 causes the operation of the off counter 331 and 17 the timing counter 300 to apply pulses to the logic circuits and to operate the off circuits at the proper time in the rotation of the press to trip off the units in sequence with the revoluions during which the unit trips oq being controlled by the revolution counter 331.

During normal trip off, it is desirable that the speed of the press be maintained until the last unit is tripped off. It will be recalled that on starting, the press was brought up to speed by the output on the terminal 444 of the memory circuit 444. The memory circuit 444 was turned on by the energization of relay CR2 which also turned on memory circuit 448 for starting the on counter and the timing counter. When the relay CR2 is de-energized to turn the memory 448 off and start the OE counter and the timing counter operating, the condition of the speed memory circuit 444 is not changed. The speed memory circuit 444 is the memory circuit which was turned on to cause the speed on the printing press to go from trip slow to run speed and the press will continue to operate at run speed until the memory circuit 444 is turned off to remove the output from its terminal 444 The speed memory 444 is turned off to cause the press to change to trip slow speed by an output signal from the AND gate 461 when the plate of last unit is set to off. The AND gate 461 has three inputs 461a, 461b and 4610. The input 461b is connected to the output of the signal originator 460 whose input is connected to the source of power by the contacts 427CR2 of the relay CR2. When the relay CR2 is deenergized on the tripping of the feeder, the input terminal 461a is connected to the NOT output terminal 3802 of the on counter memory circuit 380 which has an output thereon only when the on revolution counter 332 is not operating. Consequently, the memory circuit 444 will not be switched to its off condition as long as the on revolution counter is operating to cause the units to turn on or in a loss of sheet operation as explained hereinafter. The third input 461a for the AND gate 461 is from the NOT output of the SEALED AND circuit 76 for controlling the plate throw mecahnism of the last printing unit and an input appears thereon when the SEALED AND circuit loses its output to set the plate cylinder to go off pressure. When this happens with conditioning signals on 4610 and 461a, the AND gate 461 turns the memory circuit 444 off to cause the press to operate at a trip slow speed.

Under certain conditions, it is desirable to effect a master trip of the press. The master trip of a press in the illustrated and preferred embodiment causes all units to trip off without delay. To eifect a master trip, a master trip OFF RETURN memory circuit 465 is turned on by applying an on signal to its on terminal 465a. When the master trip memory circuit 465 is turned on, an output appears at its output terminal 465 which is applied to the input of a signal amplifier 467 having an output connection 466 connected to the MT terminals of the master trip gates 63 of the printing units to provide the MT conditioning signal. The output of the signal amplifier 467 is also applied by a connection 469 to an input of an OR gate 468 having its output connected to the off terminal 38% to turn off the on revolution counter in the event that the logic circuitry has been operating to throw on the printing press. The master trip output 466 is also connected to one input of the OR gate 462 whose output is applied to the input 464a of the AND gate 464 for turning on the off revolution memory circuit 375 to condition the off counter 331 to count the pulses from the revolution counting head 330. The F(1) and F (2) outputs of the gates 341, 342 of the OFF gating matrix are applied to the F inputs of the master trip gating circuits for the various units so that each of the throw motions is conditioned to be operative in response to a master trip signal in either the first or second revolution of the printing press. It is necessary to make two press revolutions to effect the throw off since, for certain units, the throw off of the plate and impressions occur in successive press revolutions.

The time of the throw off within a press revolution is determined by the timing outputs from the timing calculator 306 for the timing counter 300 which is set into operation through the OR gate 390 by the switching on of the off revolution memory circuit 375.

The master trip memory circuit 465 is triggered to its on condition by the output of an AND NOT circuit 470. The AND NOT circuit 470 has two inputs 470a, 470k. The input 4700: is connected to the output of a signal originator 472 having its input connected to the power supply through the normally open contacts 471CR4 of a relay CR4 which is energized normally and is deenergized in response to the operation of any of a plurality of master trip switches 472a to effect the trip off. The input 47% of the AND NOT circuit 470 is connected to the NOT output 473e of a SEALED AND circuit 473, see FIG. 8, which during normal operation of the printing press maintains an input signal on the input 470]) of the AND NOT gate 470.

The feeder memory 435 is turned olf during a master trip in response to a loss of signal on its terminal 435d. As noted hereinbefore, the feeder memory circuit 435 is of the OFF RETURN type and in this type of memory circuit, an input must be maintained on the terminal 435d or the memory circuit immediately trips to an off condition. The terminal 435d of the feeder memory circuit 435 is connected to the output of an AND gate 475 having an input 475a connected to 21 NOT output 4652 of the master trip memory circuit 465. The AND gate 475 also has an input 475b connected to receive a reset signal from a reset unit 479 which also supplies a reset signal to the terminal 465d of the master trip memory circuit. From the foregoing it can be seen that when the master trip memory circuit is tripped to its off condition, it loses its NOT output which, in turn, causes the AND gate 475 to lose its output to the terminal 435d of the feeder memory circuit 435 to cause the feeder memory circuit 435 to trip to its off condition. This causes the feeder solenoid to be deenergized to disconnect the feeder from the press drive and also to deenergize the relays CR1, CR2. The output of the AND gate 475 is also applied to reset terminals 444d and 448d and the loss of the output from AND gate 475 on a master trip also causes these memory circuits to immediately turn off.

On starting after a mastertrip or after any shutdown, it will be noted that the AND gate 475 assures that the feeder memory 435 is in an off condition until the master trip memory circuit 465 has been set to establish its NOT output. The master trip memory circuit is reset on starting by a reset signal which appears on 46512 from one shot output 432. This output also turns on multi-sheet memory 488.

Provision is also made for tripping the press unit off in sequence in response to a detection on the feed board indicating that a sheet is missing at the front stops of the feed board on either the feed side or the gear side of the press. Missing sheet switches 480, 481 for the gear side and feed side respectively are shown in FIG. 5A. These switches respectively control the application of signals to two inputs of a three input AND NOT gate 483. Normally, the gate 483 has no output on its output connection 483d and the opening of either the switch 480 or 481 to remove an input from the gate 483 will cause an output on the output connection 483d. The output connection 483d is connected to one input of an AND gate 485 having its second input connected to a signal originator 484 having its input connected to the power supply through the normally open contacts 486CR8 of a relay CR8 which is normally energized when the press is operating. If either of the switches 480, 481 open, an output appears on the output connection 483d to provide a multiple sheet signal which is transmitted by the AND gate 485 to turn off a multisheet memory 488. The multiple sheet memory when turned off loses an output at its terminal 488 and the loss of output at the terminal 488 causes the loss of an input to the AND NOT gate 455. The loss of an input on the gate 455 provides an output signal on the output 455d of the gate 455 to the terminal 435b to turn the feeder memory 435 off to deenergize the latch solenoid 437 and in turn the relays CR1, CR2 to stop the feeder and to trip off the units by de-energizing relays CR1, CR2.

Preferably the cylinders for conveying a sheet to a printing unit have detectors which sense the presence or absence of the sheet on the cylinder at a particular time in its revolution and if a sheet is missing, the control circuitry for the press is operated to trip off the unit following the missing sheet detection and the other following units in sequence. Also, the feeder is tripped in response to loss of sheet detection and the units ahead of the loss of sheet detection are tripped in sequence beginning with the first unit.

Normally the operation of the off revolution counter memory, when turned on, prevents the operation of the on revolution counter by turning off the on revolution counter memory circuit 380. The output 375] of the off revolution counter memory circuit 375 is connected through an AND gate 519 to one input of the OR gate 468 whose output is applied to the off terminal 38012 of the on revolution counter memory circuit 380. Normally the gate 519 is conditioned to turn on when the off revolution counter memory 375 turns on by a TITS signal on its input 519a and a last unit on signal on its input 51912 from the plate-on control circuitry for the last printing unit. However, during a loss of sheet throw off the input 519a, which is connected to a NOT output 508e of the DOS memory 508 is lots, as well as the TOS input to the AND gate 453 for applying a signal to turn off the off counter memory 375, so that both counters may operate simultaneously, the on counter throwing off in sequence the units in advance of the loss of sheet detecting and the off counter throwing off the units rearwardly of the loss of sheet detection in sequence beginning with the first unit.

In the illustrated embodiment, the loss of sheet signal from a transfer cylinder operates to momentarily effect the energization of a respective relay. The loss of sheet on a cylinder may be detected by cylinder sheet detectors CD as in Harrold et al. Patent No. 2,578,700 which loss of sheet detecting circuitry provides a momentary signal when no sheet is present. Referring to FIG. 7 the loss of sheet signal at the feed cylinder indicates a loss of sheet approaching the first printing unit and will momentarily energize a relay 500 to close its contacts 500a, a loss of sheet signal between units one and two will momentarily energize a relay 501 to close its contacts 501a. Similarily, a loss of sheet between printing units three and four, four and five, and five and siX respectively effects the energization of relays 503, 504 and 505 to close normally open contacts 503a, 504a and 505a. The closing of the contacts 500a, 501a, 502a, 503a, 504a, 5050 will apply a loss of sheet signal to respective AND gates 502a to output connections 506a, 506b, 5060, 506d, 506a and 506 to indicate respectively loss of sheet between the feeder and press unit A, units A and B, units B and C, units C and D, units D and E, and units E and F respectively.

The connections 506a 506) are connected through OR gates to on terminal 508a of the loss of sheet bistable OFF RETURN memory circuit 508 to turn the circuit on and to provide a LOS output at its output terminal 508). The output on the connection 508) is applied to a loss of sheet connection 510 which is applied to the condition of the loss of sheet gates 64, 158 and 207 for throwing off the printing units as the proper revolution. signals and timing signals are applied to the gates. The loss of sheet connection 510 is also connected to one. input of the OR gate 450 whose output conditions one input of the AND gate 452 for turning on the on revolution memory circuit 380 in response to the 345 pulse from the reading head 330. Consequently, a loss of sheet signal will turn on the on revolution memory 380 to start the on revolution counter and the timing counter operating. Since the AND gate 452 has lost its ZOS conditioning input when the LOS memory circuit is turned on, the output of the AND gate 452 will not be applied to the off terminal 375b of the off memory circuit.

The loss of sheet connections 506a 506 are also applied to the (a) and (0) inputs of the stages 332a, 332b, 3320, 332d of the on revolution counter 332 to force the on revolution counter to the count necessary to effect a throw off of the unit immediately following the loss of sheet detection. For example, if the loss of sheet detection is between the first and second unit, the second unit is to be thrown olf as soon as it has completed printing the immediately preceding sheet. The loss of sheet gate 64 in the plate off logic circuitry for the second printing unit has one input connected to the output N2 of the gate 357 of the on revolution gating matrix 361. Consequently, the loss of the sheet detection signal must force a count of two in the counter to condition the plate to throw off at the next timing signal.

The (a) inputs of the stages of the on revolution counter 332, which are STEP MEMORY circuits, are such that an input must be maintained on the terminal in order for the memory circuit to be turned on by the application of a signal to the step input (b) of the circuit. However, if the input to the (a) terminal is lost and regained, the unit will be turned on or set in its on condition. Similarly, an input is maintained on the (c) terminals of the counter stages and these terminals will be effective to reset the stages to their 01f condition if the input is lost and regained. The circuits constituting the stages of the counters are known and available commercially.

The loss of sheet connections 506a 506] are connected through OR NOT circuits to the terminals (a) and (c) of the stages of the on counter 332 to force the on revolution counter to the proper number to start the loss of sheet throw off beginning with the unit immediately following the loss of sheet detection. Thus, the stage 332a is connected to the output terminal 510 of the OR NOT gate 511A having its three inputs connected respectively to the loss of sheet conductor 5060, 5066, 506 respectively so that a loss of sheet between any of the two units corresponding to these connections will cause a loss of the input to the (a) terminal of the stage 332A. The (a) terminals of the other stages are connected through respective AND NOT circuits 511B, 511C, 511D to various ones of the connections 506a 506 as illustrated in the drawing, to cause a loss of output and a turning on of the stage of the counter if it is not already turned on when a signal appears on any of the connections to which the inputs of the OR NOT gates are connected.

Similarly, an OR NOT gate is provided for each of the (c) terminals for the stages 332a 332d. Accordingly, OR NOT gates 516A, 516B, 516C, 516D have output connections connected respectively to the (c) terminals of the counter stages 332a, 332b, 3321:, 332d respectively. The inputs of the OR NOT gates are connected to certain ones of the loss of sheet connections 506a 506 where the particular stages are to be turned off or reset to set the counter to the proper number for conditioning the gates of the immediately following unit to effect a throw off in response to a loss of signal detection. Once the counter has been forced to the proper number to condition the gates for the printing unit immediately following the loss of sheet detection to trip the unit off, the pulses from the reading head 330 will cause the counter to operate to sequentially trip off the units after the unit where the loss of sheet detection occurred. To allow the counter 332 to operate after it has been set independently of the signalson the connections 506a 506 the AND gates 502a 502 have one input connected to the 'ITS terminal 508a on the loss to sheet memory 508.

The loss of sheet detection also causes the tripping of the feeder which, in turn, causes the off revolution counter to condition the OFF gates in the circuitry for the printing units to start throwing off the first unit and the following units in sequence as explained heretofore. The tripping of the feeder is elfected by the NOT output 508e of the LOS memory 508 which is connected to the input 4550 of the AND gate 455. When the LOS memory circuit 508 is turned on, the AND gate 455 loses its DOS- input to provide an output which turns off the feeder memory circuit 435 to de-energize the feeder solenoid 437 and, in turn, the relays CR1, CR2 to turn off run memory 448 whose NOT output effects the operation of the off revolution counter to supply revolution signals to the F inputs of the OFF gates which are conditioned by the NOT output of teh run memory circuit 448. Consequently, the off revolution counter will operate to throw off the units behind the loss of sheet detection beginning with the first unit while the on revolution counter is operating to throw off the units in advance of the loss of sheet detection. The turning on of the off revolution counter memory circuit 375b does not turn off the on counter memory circuit 380 through the gate 519 as would normally occur since the gate 519 loses its m input from the LOS memory circuit 508.

The gates 502a 502 also have a third input which is connected to the output of the AND gate 85 (FIG. 4) in the plate in circuitry of the following unit so that the gates are not conditioned on starting until the revolution where a sheet is to be gripped the next time the detector operates to sense the presence or absence of a sheet.

In preparing a press for printing, it is desirable to be able to throw the plates and inkers on for a predetermined number of press revolutions without throwing on the impression cylinders and without sending sheets through the printing press. The logic circuitry for each of the printing units includes BRU on AND gates 61, 143 having BRU inputs which are conditioned to turn on by a blanket roll up bistable memory circuit 520 (FIG. 6) of the OFF RETURN type when the memory circuit is switched to its on condition. The conditioning of the gates is from the output terminal 520 of the BRU memory circuit 520 which is connected to the BRU inputs of the AND gates 61, 143 in the control circuits for throwing on the plates and inkers of the respective printing units.

During blanket roll up, the impression. cylinders are not to be thrown on. The gates 180 for throwing on the impression cylinders have a BRU input which is provided by the output of an OR NOT gate 524 having an input connected to the output 520 of the blanket roll up memory circuit and an input connected to the master trip output 465 As will be explained hereinafter, the master trip is used to end the blanket roll up operation and therefore no signal will be present at the output of the OR NOT gate 524 until both the BRU memory circuit 520 and the master trip are reset to their off conditions. With no output from the OR NOT gate 524 the impression cylinders will not be thrown on during a blanket roll up operation.

The memory circuit 520 is switched to its on condition in response to the operation of a blanket roll up relay CR7. The energization of the blanket roll up relay CR7 closes its normally open contacts 522CR7 momentarily to connect a signal originator 523 to the power supply to provide an input signal pulse to the on terminal 520a of the memory circuit 520.

The turning of the memory circuit 520 in response to the energization of the relay CR7 also supplies an input signal to the OR gate 450 whose output is connected to condition the AND gate 452 for turning on the on revolution counter memory circuit 380. Consequently, the on revolution counter 380 and the timing counter 300 will start operating to count the revolutions and the timing pulses. By referring to the diagram of FIG. 4 it will be noted that all of the blanket roll up gates are conditioned by either the N1 output or the N2 output of the on revolution gating matrix. Consequently, all the plates and inkers will be thrown on within two revolutions of the printing press which is the minimum number of revolutions necessary to effect a throw on of the printing units in the illustrated press,

The BRU memory circuit 520 has a NOT output 520e connected to one input of the AND gate 464 for turning on the off counter memory circuit. The switching on of the BRU memory circuit 520 causes a loss of the BRU off signal to the input terminal of AND gate 464 whose output turns on the off revolution counter memory circuit 375. This blocks the press revolution signal from being applied through the gate 464 to the on terminal 375a of the off counter memory circuit 375 and enables the press zero signal output from the AND gate 452, which turns on the on revolution memory circuit 380 to also turn off the off memory circuit 375 to prevent F signals from being supplied to the off gate 62 in the control circuits for the printing units. This must be done since the OFF gates in the control circuits are conditioned by an off signal from the run feeder memory terminal 4482 because the feeder is not feeding sheets during blanket roll up.

In the preferred and illustrated embodiment, the blanket and inkers will automatically be thrown off after a predetermined number of press revolutions. Relays CR5, CR6 may be selectively energized or deenergized to select the number of revolutions which are to occur before throw off is to be initiated. The relay CR5 has normally closed contacts CR5-1, CR5-3, normally open contacts CR5-2, CR5-4 while the relay CR6 has normally closed contacts CR6-1, normally closed contacts CR6-2, normally open contacts CR6-3 and normally open contacts CR6-4. The contacts of the relays CR5, CR6 having the same contact number are connected in series with each other between the power supply and a respective signal originator 525 to supply an input to a respective AND gate. The AND gates corresponding to the contacts numbered 1 to 4 have been respectively given the designation 526A, 526B, 526C, 526D. The gates 526A 526D have second inputs connected res ectively to the N2 N5 outputs of the on revolution gating matrix. Consequently, the gates 526A 526D are conditioned on successive press revolutions to provide an output signal. For any given combination of energization and de-energization of the relays CR5, CR6, only one of the gates 526A 526D will be conditioned to pass the signal from the on revolution gating matrix. For example, if both relays are deenergized only the AND gate 526A will be conditioned to pass the signal from the on revolution gating matrix while if the relay CR5 is energized and the relay CR6 deenergized only the gate 526B will pass the signal from the on revolution gating matrix. The outputs of the gates 526A 526D are connected to one input 473B of the AND gate 473 through an OR gate 531. The other input 473a of the AND circuit is connected to the output terminal 520i of the blanket roll up memory circuit 520 to condition the gate 473 to operate during the blanket roll up operation. When the selected gate 526A526D has an output thereon, the AND gate 473 will operate to lose a NOT output 473e which 1s applied as one input of the AND NOT gate 470 in the master trip circuit. The NOT output 473e is lost upon the operation of the gate 473 to signify the end of the blanket roll up operation. When this happens the AND NOT gate 470 will turn on and an output will occur from the AND NOT gate 470 which will turn on the master trip memory 465 to effect a throwing off of all the plates and inkers in the same manner as when a master trip occurs. The output 465 of master trip memory circuit is connected to the off termial 52% of the 23 BRU memory circuit 520 to turn off the memory when the master trip gate operates. The turning off of the BRU memory 520 supplies a BRU off signal to the AND gate 464 so that the off revolution counter memory will turn on to throw off the plates and inkers.

For the printing units after the first printing unit, the ON gates and the blanket roll up gates for effecting a throwing on of the plates and impressions are conditioned by different outputs from the on revolution matrix. This is true since the normal throwing on of the press is done in sequence while the blanket roll up is done within two press revolutions. Similarly, the various throw movements within certain printing press units may actually occur in different press revolutions during normal throw on and throw off. This, however, is not true of the first printing unit since the throw on and throw off operations will always occur within the first press revolution when the on counter or the ofi? counter has a count of one set therein. Consequently, the logic circuitry for the first printing unit may be simplified as shown in FIG. 9.

Referring to FIG. 9, it will be noted that the circuit includes SEALED AND gates 76', 135, 185' in the plate ink and impression control circuits which correspond to the SEALED AND gates 76, 135, 185 of the other printing units and that the circuitry following the SEALED AND gates is the same as that of the other units and has been given the same reference numerals. The plate on logic circuitry of the first printing unit differs from that of the other units in that a single AND gate 60' is provided for controlling the SEALED AND circuit 76'. The AND gate 60' has an N input upon which the revolution signal N( 1) appears, and a P input upon which the P(l) timing signal appears. The third input of the AND gate 60 is connected to the output of an OR gate 540 which has a BRU input from the terminal 520f of the BRU memory circuit 520 and an on input from the terminal 444 of the speed memory circuit 444 through an amplifier to apply an ON signal to the gate during normal throw on.

Thus, whenever the OR gate 540 has an input applied thereto the circuitry will operate to throw on the plate of the first printing unit during the first revolution at the occurrence of the first timing signal P1 which is the zero degree timing signal.

Similarly, the off logic circuitry for the plate of the printing unit includes an OR NOT gate 82 corresponding to the gates 82 of the other printing units except that the OR NOT gates 82 has only one input controlled by an AND gate 62' instead of two inputs controlled by three AND gates as in the logic circuitry for the other printing units. The AND gate 62' has an F input upon which the revolution signal F(1) is applied and a P input on which the timing signal P2 is applied. The third input is connected to the output of an OR gate 542 having an OFF input 542a and an MT input 542b for receiving the OFF conditioning signal when the unit is to be turned off and the master trip conditioning signal when a master trip is to occur.

In the inker control logic circuitry there is only one AND gate, an AND gate 142' it provides an output for the input connection 135a of the SEALED AND circuit 135'. This AND gate 142' has one input connected to the output of the OR gate 540 in the plate circuit so that it is conditioned to go on when the plate is conditioned to go on, a second input which is connected to the output of the AND gate 85 in the plate on circuit whose output effects the energization of the plate on relay so that the second input is conditioned when the plate on relay has been told to go on and a third input to which the timing signal P(5) is applied.

The off circuitry for the inker includes an AND gate 156 for applying one input to the OR NOT circuit 160'. The AND gate 156 has one input 1560 which is conditioned with an output signal by the output of an OR gate 544 having three inputs 544a, 544b, 544C. The input 544a receives the OFF conditioning signal from the run memory circuit 448; the input 544b receives the master trip conditioning signal MT; and the output 5440 receives the loss of sheet conditioning signal. Consequently, when either of these conditioning signals are present, the AND gate 156 is conditioned to provide an output to the OR NOT gate 160' to condition the gate to lose its output to operate the SEALED AND circuit 135' to deenergize the ink solenoid relay and throw off the inker. The AND gate 156' also has a P input on which the P(6) signal from the timing counter is applied and a third input connected to the NOT output of the AND gate in the plate on circuitry to indicate that the plate solenoid relay has been deenergized to set the plate mechanism to be thrown off. Consequently, on the occurrence of these three conditions, the AND gate 156' will have an output which will cause the deenergization of the ink solenoid relay to set the ink mechanism to throw off the inker.

In the impression logic circuitry, the on logic circuitry is the same as in the first described embodiment and the circuitry has been given the same reference numerals.

In the 011? circuitry for the impression, only one gate is used to control the OR NOT circuit 196' rather than three AND gates as in the other units. The AND gate has been designated by the reference numeral 546 and has one input 546a which is connected to the NOT output of the AND circuit 85 in the plate logic circuitry to signify when the plate unit has been set to throw off, an output 546b upon which the timing signal P(l) is applied, and a third input 5460 which is connected to the output of the function gate 544 in the ink off circuitry so that when the ink off logic circuitry receives a conditioning signal for operating to an off condition from the run memory circuit 448 during normal throw off, from the master trip memory circuit 465 during a master trip operation, and from the LOS memory circuit 508 during a loss of sheet throw off, the AND gate 546 is conditioned to provide an output to the OR NOT gate 196' to cause the SEALED AND circuit 185 to lose its output and deenergize the solenoid relay on the application of the P(1) timing signal to the AND gate 546.

In addition to the foregoing, each printing press unit has a plate on selector switch 551.

If the plate on switch is operated to its on condition, a relay 553 is energized to open normally closed contacts 553-1 and close normally open contacts 553-2 in the plate control circuitry for the printing unit. The closing of contacts 553-2 in each unit turns on a plate up memory circuit 555 at each printing unit to supply an input to the OR gate to energize the plate on relay 50 and solenoid 108 to throw on the plate only. The memory circuit is a STEP MEMORY circuit which has a step input terminal (b) which must have a signal thereon to turn on in response to the closing of contacts 553-2. The input terminal (b) of each memory circuit is connected to a P output from the timing matrix to effect a setting of the plate throw on mechanism at the proper time in the press cycle. The timing pulse P will be available when the press is operating with the units off since the AND gate 302 will be conditioned through the OR gate 390 by the OFF memory circuit 375.

When the switch 551 is operated to its off position, the relay 553 is deenergized to close its contacts 553-1 to apply an off signal to the plate on memory circuit 555 to turn the latter off when the appropriate P signal is applied to its input terminal (b). The turning off of the memory deenergizes the corresponding relay to cause the corresponding plate to be thrown off.

Similarly, a push button switch 557 at each unit may be momentarily depressed to energize an inker on relay 558 at the unit which has normally open contacts 558-1 which operate to condition an inker on STEP MEMORY circuit 560 in each inker control circuit to turn on to energize through the corresponding OR gate 136 the inker relay 51 when a P signal is applied to the input terminal (b) of the memory. When the inker switch 557 is depressed, the relay 558 is energized to close its contacts 558-1 to the memory circuit 560 and also to turn on the latter and self-holding contacts 558-2 to complete a holding circuit about the switch 557. The self-holding circuit includes a switch 561 which has a first position in engagement with a contact 561a in the self-holding circuit for relay 558. The switch 561 is movable to a second position 111 engagement with a contact 56112 to deenergize the relay 558 and to energize a relay 559 to close its contacts 559-1 to supply an input signal to an off terminal of the memory circuit 560 to turn off the circuit when a P timing signal is applied to the step input (b).

The inker memory circuit 560 also has a terminal (c) connected to the NOT output of the SEALED AND gate 135. If the input on terminal (c) is lost, the memory circuit will immediately turn off. Consequently, if the inker is on by reason of energizing relay 558 and a throw on occurs, the operation of the SEALED AND gate 135' will turn off the memory circuit 560 so that the SEALED AND gate assumes control. It will be noted that the circuit for energizing relay 558 includes normally closed contacts 51-3 of the ink relay '51 so that when the relay is energized, the relay 558 is deenergized and the on signal is removed from the on input terminal of the memory circuit 560.

When the switch 561 is moved to turn off the memory circuit 560, the inker is locked out. Moreover, the contacts 559-1 also provide an input over a connection 562 to an input of the OR NOT gate 160' so that the logic circuitry cannot turn on the inker with the switch 561 in engagement with contact 5611) and the unit may be run with the plate and impression on.

Each unit also includes the STEP MEMORY circuit 88 heretofore described as providing a conditioning signal for the AND gate 85 whose output controls the energization of the plate on relay and whose NOT output conditions the OFF gates 156, 202 in the inker and impression logic circuits to pass timing pulses for effecting the deenergization of the relays 51, 52 to set the ink and impression throw mechanisms to throw off. The loss of an output from the memory 88 on terminal 8 will, therefore, cause a deenergization of the relays 50, 51, 52 to cause the unit to throw off.

The memory circuit 88 is controlled by a relay 565 having normally closed contacts 565-1 and normally open contacts 565-2. The contacts 565-1 normally apply a turn on signal to the on terminal 88a of the bistable memory circuit 88 to turn the unit on while the contacts 565-2, when closed, will supply an otf signal to the rest or ofif terminal 880 to turn the memory circuit off and cause to lose its output to the AND gate 85. The memory circuit 88 is a STEP MEMORY circuit and has a step input (b) to which an input signal must be applied before the circuit will switch its states in response to a turn on or off input. In the present circuitry, a timing pulse P is applied to the step terminal to control the time of switching to assure that the plate will be set to throw off or before the other movements are set to occur. For the second unit the P(11) pulse is applied to the step input of the memory circuit 88.

The relay 565 in each unit is controlled by a respective switch 567 which during normal operation is olf. The switch, however, can be operated to its on position to elfect a throw off of the corresponding printing unit while the press is printing without effecting the condition of the other units. Similarly, the unit can be thrown back on while the press is printing by moving the switch to its oif position to deenergize relay 565 to switch the circuit 88 on again and supply an input to the AND gate 85. The input to the AND gate 85 will always be present when the press is printing and is not functioning in an OFF, master trip, or loss of sheet function.

The ability to throw each unit on and off individually while the press is printing facilitates making proofs for the various units and combinations of units when preparing to print.

It is important that the various memory circuits be in their off condition on starting. The reset unit 479 has been described as having its output applied to particular terminals of the on revolution counter and is shown in the drawings as having its output also connected to reset terminals R for the off counter memory circuit 375, the on counter memory circuit 380, the master trip memory circuit 465, and the multisheet memory circuit 488. The other memory circuits and gate circuits shown as having an R terminal also have a reset signal applied thereto on starting from either the unit 479 or a second unit 479A (FIG. 5A). For example, the SEALED AND gates 76, the SEALED AND gate 135, the SEALED AND gate 185, the memory circuits 88, 555, 560, have reset tenninals R. In the case of memory circuits 88 which are STEP MEMORY circuits, the R terminal assures that the memory circuit is initially in its oif condition. In the case of the SEALED AND gates 76, 135, 185, a signal must be applied to the R terminal to provide an output on its output connection. The input to the R terminal in these cases is derived from the unit 398 or a corresponding unit and is applied with a delay to assure that the AND gate does not initially turn on but assumes its off condition upon the application of system power.

The off return memory circuits, the STEP MEMORY circuits, the AND gates including the AND gate with a NOT function are commercially available circuits and are described in General Electric Bulletin GPC-B53D for static circuit elements. FIG. 10 illustrates the off memory circuits and the STEP MEMORY circuits and the AND gate circuits used in the drawings with the pin terminals numbered in accordance with the numbering in the bulletin. The positions of the terminals of the memory circuits in the drawings correspond to those shown in FIG. 10. Similarly, reset unit 479 is a standard unit also described in the said bulletin, as well as the signal originators such as the signal originator 440.

Referring to FIG. 10, the off return memory circuit is shown as having a 1 terminal for turning the memory circuit on, a 2 terminal for turning the memory circuit otf, a 5 terminal which is a reset terminal, a 7 terminal which is a NOT output terminal and an 8 terminal which is a standard output terminal. It will be apparent that the 1 and 2 terminals of the STEP MEMORY circuit in FIG. 10 are those designated a and b in the circuit diagram illustrating the present invention, while the standard output terminal 8 and NOT output terminal 7 correspond to the terminals which have been designated e and 1. It will also be noted that the relative location of the terminals on the box have been maintained. This is also true of the STEP MEMORY illustrated in FIG. 10. The STEP MEMORY circuit is the circuit used in the counting circuits.

What is claimed is:

1. In a sheet feed printing press having a plurality of printing units having an inker, a printing cylinder and an impression cylinder to be thrown on pressure for printing, said units to be sequentially thrown between nonprinting and printing conditions as a sheet proceeds through the press with each unit having electroresponsive means to be actuated to eifect the throwing of the unit from one of said conditions to another, means for feeding sheets to said press and for conveying the sheets through the press with each sheet arriving at the units subsequent to the first unit during different revolutions of the press following the revolution in which the sheet is fed to the first unit, first electrical control means for each unit for actuating the electroresponsive means of the unit to operate to throw the units on or off, means for operating said first electrical control means in sequence as a sheet proceeds through the press including signal producing means providing a plurality of timing signals during each revo- 

